Because of you I am afraid
by 8annie81
Summary: Song-fic of 'Because of you' by Kelly Clarkson. 'Because of you' is about trust issue's which Skipper obviously has. This is a tribute to Manfreddi and Johnson and an impression they left on Skipper.


Manfreddi smiled. After the trouble they'd had recently it was a relief to see her. He'd missed her so much. She seemed anxious too. Around the corner Johnson shifted uncomfortably. Spying on his friends was not in his nature. "I don't think this is right." "Shhhhh! They'll hear you!" Hans whispered harshly. Skipper was also tense as ever. He could tell what she was going to say and he felt like it was his fault. "Listen, Freddi." The girl said. Skipper winced anticipating each word. "It's not working out. Maybe I'll see you around." Eva said and walked away.

_I will not make the same mistake that you did. I will not let myself cause myself cause my heart so much mysery. I will not break the way you did. You fell so hard._

Manfreddi stood shocked and after a moment he began to cry. "Eva..." He choked. Johnson stepped out from the corner and went to comfort his friend. "What are you doing?" Hans hissed. Skipper left his side too and put an arm around Manfreddi. "I'm sorry." Manfreddi looked up at him and at Johnson. "Johnson was right. She didn't really care about me." Hans hadn't known them as long and didn't know what he could do. He left them to comfort Manfreddi on their own. Manfreddi cried into his friends arm. "I love her so much." Johnson hugged him. "We know."

_I learned the hard way to never let it get that far._

Skipper walked alone on the empty side walk with his shoulders hunched and his hands in his pockets.

_Because of you I never stray too far from the side walk._

Skipper glanced across the street to where Manfreddi and Johnson were. The two boys didn't see him they laughed and shoved eachother lost in their own little world. Skipper smiles at their antics. He puts one foot in the street, but jumps back suddenly barly being missed by a car.

_Because of you I learned to stay on the safe side so I don't get hurt._

Skipper looks around suspiciously. He feels eyes watching him from every angle, but no one is there.

_Because of you I learned not to trust, not only me, but everyone around me._

Skipper's eye's go wide. He runs from some unseen enemy.

_Because of you I am afraid._

Manfreddi see's Skipper running from the corner of his eye. He taps Johnson's shoulder and they both wave and yell to get his attention from the other side of the street. "Skipper! Hey Skipper!" "Over here!"

_I've lost my way and you're quick to point it out._

Skipper see's them and they call him over. He looks out into the buzy street and shakes his head. "Oh come on Skipper!" Manfreddi yells a bit dejected. "Come over here!" Skipper looks down. He kicks a pebble into the street it gets hit by a car and is shot back. "Come on freddi, lets go get our Nancycat." Skipper looks up having decided he is going to cross, but his friends are no longer there. "Manfreddi! Johnson!" He cries about to rush into the street. A hand on his shoulder stops him. "Right here Nancycat." Johnson teases. Skipper wants to hug his friends having just thought somthing bad had happened, but instead rolls his eyes.

_I cannot cry because I know that's weakness in your eyes._

Skipper and his friends walk along the sidewalk together. Manfreddi and Johnson laugh and talk animatedly. Skipper just grimaces and nods along.

_I'm forced to fake, a smile, a laugh every day of my life._

Walking along with his friends Skipper flashes back to the day in the ally were Eva broke Manfreddi's heart. He looks forward determined.

_My heart can't possibly break if it wasen't even whole to start with._

Manfreddi and Johnson start to cross the street and motion for him to follow. Skipper shakes his head.

_Because of you I never stray too far from the sidewalk._

Manfreddi and Johnson shrug and run across the street. "We'll be over here if you want to start being fun!" Johnson teases. Manfreddi smacks the back of his head. "Hope you'll join us Skipper!" He calls. Skipper puts one foot in the road then jumps back before a car can hit him.

_Because of you I learned to stay on the safe side so I don't get hurt._

Hans and Skipper are watching Manfreddi and Johnson joke and play across the street. "Lets cross together Skipper!" Hans says exitedly. Skipper looks longingly across the street. "No you go ahead." He says turning his back on the street. "Oh come on Skipper." Hans says resting his hand on Skipper's shoulder. "It will be easy. Trust me." Skipper knocks his hand off. "I said no! Go away!" Hans looks hurt and shocked then he looks angry. "Fine!" Hans walks off alone away from Skipper and away from the street.

_Because of you I find it hard to trust, not only me, but everyone around me._

Manfreddi, Johnson, and Skipper are walking along the sidewalk together. "Race you to the other side!" Johnson cries. "Wait!" Skipper calls as his friends race through the traffic. He watches them wide eye'd biting his lip until they are safely across the street.

_Because of you I am afraid._

Skipper, Johnson, and Hans share a sad look as they watch Manfreddi cry over Eva.

_I watched you die. I heard you cry in your sleep._

Skipper holds a plate with his friends and family on it and another with his enemys on it. Both plates are heavy, but he keeps them balanced.

_I was so young you should have known better than to lean on me._

Skipper tries to comfort Hans as they walk away from the cemetary. Away from the tombstone that reads 'Here lies Manfreddi Lecker. A true friend, a brave man, and a strong solider.' and the other that reads 'R.I.P Johnson Feilds, son, brother, and friend.' Hans pushes Skipper away. Hate replaces the grief in his eyes.

_You never thought of anyone else you just saw your pain._

Manfreddi holds his head in his hands crying. He becomes translucent and fades away revealing Skipper in the same position.

_And now I cry in the middle of the night. Doing the the same damb thing._

Skipper walked alone on the empty side walk with his shoulders hunched and his hands in his pockets.

_Because of you I never stray too far from the side walk._

General Stronghold holds Skipper back as a car hits Johnson and then Manfreddi in an obvious murder. Skipper breaks free too late.

_Because of you I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt._

Skipper holds his head and sighs.

_Because of you I try my hardest just to forget everything._

Skipper and his team laugh. "Skippah, were did you learn this game?" Private chuckled. Skipper flashed back to Johnson explaining the rules and frowns. "Classified." His team looks confused as he slides away.

_Because of you I don't know how to let anyone else in._

Skipper is holding the plate with his friends and family and the plate with his enemys on them. The number of enemys grow and Hans, Manfreddi, and Johnson disappear. The plates start to tip towards the plate of enemys as Hans appears on that plate. The plate of friends is almost empty.

_Because of you I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty._

Skipper's eye's widen and he begins to fall under the weight of his enemys.

_Because of you I am afraid._

Manfreddi and Johnson appear on either side of Skipper partially translucent and help him balance the plates by holding some of the weight. Skipper's new team appears on the plate of friends also helping to balance them.

_Because of you._

Skipper smiles at his ghost like friends. A single tear snakes down his face.

_Because of you._


End file.
